I make mini watercolor journals from thrifted fabric — flannel shirts, tablecloths, old dresses. Every cover has a story before mine. That's the part I love most.
I started making because I wanted to slow down. Not slow in a precious way — slow in a way that means you actually notice what you're doing. Thrifting for fabric teaches you to look. Bookbinding teaches you to be patient. Making something by hand teaches you that you're more capable than you thought.
Twice Born Vintage is where I teach that. One class at a time, one thrifted shirt at a time.
Start with the Free ClassI thrift for fabric with intention — looking for texture, weight, colour, and story. A worn flannel shirt. A linen tablecloth with an embroidered border. A dress that clearly meant something to someone. These become journal covers.
I cut, sew, and bind entirely by hand. No sewing machine, no power tools. The pace is deliberate. That slowness is a feature, not a limitation — it's what makes the finished piece feel like something.
All journals use cold press watercolor paper — suitable for watercolor, gouache, and mixed media. The binding technique determines how the book opens. Some lay flat. Some have a visible spine. Each one is different.
Because the fabric is thrifted, no two journals are the same. The shirt I used for your cover doesn't exist anymore. That's the point. What you make in my classes is genuinely one of a kind.
The business
Twice Born Vintage is owned and operated by Palm House Designs, LLC. I'm based in the United States. Classes are hosted on Teachery. Physical journals and kits ship from my studio.
If you have a question, a commission inquiry, or just want to say hello — I read every email.